Microsoft Prepared to Cut More Jobs

Microsoft is planning to announce a new round of layoffs as early as today, reports the New York Times. Many of the cuts will target employees in Microsoft's hardware group, such as the smartphone unit it bought from Nokia in 2014. Nokia and Microsoft-branded Windows Phones have struggled to gain traction with consumers. The Times' suggests Microsoft may be forced to write down a loss on the smartphone unit later this month. Other parts of the business will see headcount reductions, as well. As of March, Microsoft had about 118,000 employees globally. Last year, Microsoft said it planned to drop 18,000 employees. These new cuts are in addition to those already announced. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently warned that the company has to "make some tough choices in areas where things are not working and solve hard problems in ways that drive customer value." Former Nokia executives Stephen Elop and Jo Harlow, along with a handful of other executives, were recently shown the door. Microsoft did not confirm the Times' report, which was based on the comments of unnamed sources.